Fated Meeting
by Forever Free Evergreen
Summary: He arrived first? She would only believe that when she saw it with her own eyes R&R


**Disclaimer &**** Author note: **_This is my seventieth fic and to honour the occasion I'm adding a new category to my repertoire. Hope you enjoy._

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She could hardly believe it was two years since the last time she had set foot on their ship the Thousand Sunny let alone seen the rest of her crew. According to Shakky, she was the third member of the Straw Hat crew to return to Sabaody Archipelago after their shipwright Franky and, for some bizarre twist of fate, Zoro the first mate with inhuman strength and a very poor, to put it mildly, sense of direction.

No matter how many times she rolled it over in her head, Nami just could not believe the idea of Roronoa Zoro being the first to arrive given his history. She had witnessed the Santoryu practitioner head off through a hallway leading _aw__ay_ from the staircase that was _right in front of him_ in Enies Lobby and was told later by Vivi that he had went for a quick swim, in the middle of a winter island, only to end up being found in a tundra on the _opposite side_ of said island.

And so, knowing that she will never be able to relax unless confirmed with her own eyes, Nami set off through the many Groves of the Archipelago in search of the wayward swordsman. At first she figured it would not be hard. Just listen for the sound of multiple screams and steel on steel and presto- one navigationally challenged swordsman.

After searching for an entire hour, Nami realised that it might have only been dumb luck that Zoro got here before everyone else and was now lost within the Archipelago which really did not surprise her. Sighing in frustration, the orange haired navigator turned round in order to head back to the Sunny only to nearly have a heart attack upon seeing that there was standing right behind her.

"Thought it was you, _Witch_" The person said with an easy grin on his face. He had caught a glimpse of the orange haired navigator as she was passing by but paid her no attention until he caught sight of the tattoo on her left shoulder.

"Z-Zoro?" Nami stuttered in disbelief.

After seeing Franky's new appearance, she had wondered if everyone else had changed dramatically. Yet the only differences she could see in the swordsman before her was his attire, a dark green coat and a red sash that hid his green haramaki, and a new scar that covered his left eye which probably made him even more demonic when fighting.

"Zoro!" She cried after coming over her shock of seeing him and practically leapt at him in a crushing hug catching him by surprise.

"This is a first" Zoro noted stepping back to take into account the navigator's fuller figure. Last he saw, she was more of a stick insect. He just knew that 'Twirly-brow' would probably pass out if not from ecstasy then from blood-loss.

"After seeing you suddenly disappear when Kuma touched you, can you blame me?" Nami pointed out. "I actually thought that…That I…" She quickly turned round so that he could not see her blushing. "…I wouldn't get all the beri you owe me"

All citizens on the grove stopped suddenly when they felt the ground beneath them tremble as Zoro firmly face-planted himself almost a foot into the ground.

"IS THAT ALL YOU THINK ABOUT?" He snarled gnashing pointed teeth furiously. He had actually thought that, wherever she had ended up, she might have matured some in mind to go along with her body as well as get stronger.

It took all Nami's willpower not to snicker at his predictable reaction. She had actually realised that everyone was alright the moment she calmed down after finding herself on Weatheria although it still did not stop her from worrying about Zoro who looked like he was on death's doorstep again. No matter how many times she saw it, she was amazed that he could just, literally, sleep it off; after Chopper bandaged and sedated him enough so that he was unable to train until he was slightly better that is.

"Of course not, I also think about my mikan grove" Nami replied causing Zoro to face-plant again.

"You haven't changed one bit" Zoro grumbled as he picked himself up.

Nami just stuck her tongue out at him. She knew Zoro was not talking about her physical appearance, although she did notice him check her out when he pulled away, but more of her personality. She did not know whether to take it as a compliment or an insult.

"But I have gotten stronger though" She bragged before telling him about where she had ended up. She was then stunned when Zoro in turn told her where he had landed: Smack dab on Hawk-eye Mihawk's personal island studying under the very man he sought to defeat. By the end, Nami could not help but wonder if they were all sent to islands that would help them rather than hinder.

"Perhaps it was fate for events to transpire as they did" Zoro shrugged when she asked his opinion on it. "Regardless of why, we're now all stronger because of it"

Nami was unable to hold in the smile as she saw the wise side of Zoro that was rarely shown. There had only been rare glimpses of it before, most notably in Water 7 and after their first meeting with Mr 2. If he showed it more often she might not have classed him as a barbarian.

"That's not going to stop you from coming to my rescue whenever I'm in a pinch, right?" She asked knowing the answer.

"Not even if you raise my debt" Came the confident reply making her feel safer already.

"In that case, I'm gonna go grab what supplies we need for the Sunny" She declared now that her curiosity over the swordsman had been sated. "Don't go getting lost before we set sail now"

"I got here first before the rest of you, didn't I?" He growled menacingly at the jibe.

"First time for everything" Nami countered before quickly stepping in and hugging Zoro again this time adding a quick kiss on the cheek. "I really missed you guys though. Some more than others"

Despite being surprised at the girl's suddenness, Zoro wrapped his arms round her waist and held her tight against himself.

"Fate saw us through that time. We're back together now" He told her although whether he was meaning the two of them or the whole crew was anyone's guess.

Nami smiled knowingly as if understanding what he meant before separating from him and headed off in the direction of the merchant quarter for supplies. Zoro watched her go before heading off towards the outer groves hoping that a little fishing would kill time until the rest of the crew arrived unaware that he was, once again, going the wrong way.

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_How's that for my first One Piece fic?_

_Please review so I know if they were in character & what not (helps me perfect whatever I think up next) & 'til next time_

_Watch this space & peace out!_


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